Angella Reid, first woman named chief usher at the White House

There’s a new person in charge at the president’s pad — Angella Reid, just named the next chief usher of the White House.

Currently general manager of the Ritz-Carlton at Pentagon City, Reid will run the household staff and grounds at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. — a job that has inspired some long tenures: Born in Jamaica, Reid will be only the ninth usher since 1885, and the first woman. The last usher, Stephen W. Rochon, left this year to join the Department of Homeland Security, the White House said.

Reid was not made available for interviews, but we happen to know that she loves U2 — and knows that the secret to success is “genuinely caring for people.” So she says in a video on the Ritz-Carlton’s corporate Web site. (She’s also a fan of the Pet Shop Boys, Tina Turner and Chris Botti.)

How is she to work with? “Very personable, very patient, very knowledgeable about her business,” said Marty Covert, a meeting planner who has done business with Reid at the Ritz. “She’s a class act.”